| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on a Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pick heads of wheat and eat them. | 1At that time, Jesus walked through the grain fields on a Sabbath. His disciples became hungry and began picking heads of grain to eat. |
| 2But when the Pharisees saw this they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is against the law to do on the Sabbath." | 2When the Pharisees saw this, they told him, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!" |
| 3He said to them, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry-- | 3But he told them, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? |
| 4how he entered the house of God and they ate the sacred bread, which was against the law for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests? | 4How is it that he went into the house of God and ate the Bread of the Presence, which was not lawful for him and his companions to eat but was reserved for the priests? |
| 5Or have you not read in the law that the priests in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are not guilty? | 5Or haven't you read in the Law that on every Sabbath the priests in the Temple violate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? |
| 6I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. | 6But I tell you, something greater than the Temple is here! |
| 7If you had known what this means: 'I want mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent. | 7If you had known what 'I want mercy and not sacrifice' means, you would not have condemned the innocent, |
| 8For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath." | 8for the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." |
| 9Then Jesus left that place and entered their synagogue. | 9Moving on from there, Jesus went into their synagogue. |
| 10A man was there who had a withered hand. And they asked Jesus, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" so that they could accuse him. | 10Suddenly, a man with a paralyzed hand appeared. The people asked Jesus if it was lawful to heal on Sabbath days, intending to accuse him of doing something wrong. |
| 11He said to them, "Would not any one of you, if he had one sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, take hold of it and lift it out? | 11But he asked them, "Is there a man among you who, if he had one sheep and it fell into a ditch on the Sabbath, wouldn't take hold of it and pull it out? |
| 12How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." | 12How much more is a human being worth than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on Sabbath days." |
| 13Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out and it was restored, as healthy as the other. | 13Then he told the man, "Hold out your hand." He held it out and it became normal, as healthy as his other hand. |
| 14But the Pharisees went out and plotted against him, as to how they could assassinate him. | 14The Pharisees, however, went out and plotted against Jesus to kill him. |
| 15Now when Jesus learned of this, he went away from there. Great crowds followed him, and he healed them all. | 15When Jesus became aware of this, he left that place. Many crowds followed him, and he healed all of them, |
| 16But he sternly warned them not to make him known. | 16ordering them not to make him known. |
| 17This fulfilled what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet: | 17This was to fulfill what was declared by the prophet Isaiah when he said, |
| 18"Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I take great delight. I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. | 18"Here is my Servant whom I have chosen, whom I love, and with whom I am pleased! I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to unbelievers. |
| 19He will not quarrel or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. | 19He will not quarrel or shout, and no one will hear him shouting in the streets. |
| 20He will not break a bruised reed or extinguish a smoldering wick, until he brings justice to victory. | 20He will not snap off a broken reed or snuff out a smoldering wick until he has brought justice through to victory. |
| 21And in his name the Gentiles will hope." | 21And in his name unbelievers will hope." |
| 22Then they brought to him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute. Jesus healed him so that he could speak and see. | 22Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to talk was brought to him. Jesus healed him so that the man could speak and see. |
| 23All the crowds were amazed and said, "Could this one be the Son of David?" | 23All the crowds were amazed and kept saying, "This man isn't the Son of David, is he?" |
| 24But when the Pharisees heard this they said, "He does not cast out demons except by the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons!" | 24But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "This man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons." |
| 25Now when Jesus realized what they were thinking, he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and no town or house divided against itself will stand. | 25He knew what they were thinking and told them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. |
| 26So if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? | 26So if Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How, then, can his kingdom stand? |
| 27And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges. | 27If I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own followers drive them out? That is why they will be your judges! |
| 28But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has already overtaken you. | 28But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you. |
| 29How else can someone enter a strong man's house and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can thoroughly plunder the house. | 29How can someone go into a strong man's house and carry off his possessions without first tying up the strong man? Then he can ransack his house. |
| 30Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. | 30The person who isn't with me is against me, and the person who isn't gathering with me is scattering. |
| 31For this reason I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. | 31So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. |
| 32Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. | 32Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the one to come." |
| 33"Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is known by its fruit. | 33"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree rotten and its fruit rotten, because a tree is known by its fruit. |
| 34Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say anything good, since you are evil? For the mouth speaks from what fills the heart. | 34You children of serpents! How can you say anything good when you are evil? The mouth speaks about what overflows from the heart. |
| 35The good person brings good things out of his good treasury, and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury. | 35A good person brings good things out of a good treasure house, and an evil person brings evil things out of an evil treasure house. |
| 36I tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak. | 36I tell you, on Judgment Day people will give an account for every thoughtless word they have uttered, |
| 37For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." | 37because by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." |
| 38Then some of the experts in the law along with some Pharisees answered him, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from you." | 38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees told Jesus, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from you." |
| 39But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. | 39But he replied to them, "An evil and adulterous generation craves a sign. Yet no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah, |
| 40For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. | 40because just as Jonah was in the stomach of the sea creature for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. |
| 41The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them--and now, something greater than Jonah is here! | 41The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment and condemn the people living today, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. But look—something greater than Jonah is here! |
| 42The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon--and now, something greater than Solomon is here! | 42The queen of the south will stand up and condemn the people living today, because she came from so far away to hear the wisdom of Solomon. But look! Something greater than Solomon is here!" |
| 43"When an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it passes through waterless places looking for rest but does not find it. | 43"Whenever an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it wanders through waterless places looking for a place to rest, but finds none. |
| 44Then it says, 'I will return to the home I left.' When it returns, it finds the house empty, swept clean, and put in order. | 44Then it says, 'I will go back to my home that I left.' When it arrives, it finds it empty, swept clean, and put in order. |
| 45Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, so the last state of that person is worse than the first. It will be that way for this evil generation as well!" | 45Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and settle there. And so the final condition of that person becomes worse than the first. That's just what will happen to this evil generation!" |
| 46While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers came and stood outside, asking to speak to him. | 46While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. |
| 47Someone told him, "Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside wanting to speak to you." | 47Someone told him, "Look! Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak to you." |
| 48To the one who had said this, Jesus replied, "Who is my mother and who are my brothers?" | 48He asked the man who told him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" |
| 49And pointing toward his disciples he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! | 49Then pointing with his hand at his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers, |
| 50For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." | 50because whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." |
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